New Delhi: Amid criticism from the Bar
Council of India (BCI) about the government`s move to
introduce reforms in legal education, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal
on Thursday said his ministry was determined to bring about radical
changes in the field despite opposition from "vested
interests".
The minister said that though there were some "vested
interests" keen on stalling reforms, the government was
determined to go ahead with the revamp.
In an informal address to the members of the Supreme
Court Bar Association (SCBA), he said the ministry was
exploring the possibility of introducing law as a subject at
the undergraduate level as in B.A courses to enable a large
number of persons to gain legal knowledge.
"Instead of insisting on having a system like BA, LLB,
why do we not have a BA Law. There can be doctor-lawyer,
engineer-lawyer also," he said.
A student pursuing an undergraduate course in medicine
or engineering can also gain legal knowledge if law was
introduced as one of the subjects in their respective
curriculums, he said.
Sibal claimed the BCI has not been able to bring in
the necessary reforms as it was not equipped with adequate
expertise and infrastructure.
"There are some vested interests who do not want the
reforms, but I hope the members of the bar (advocate) here
will support me in the stand," he remarked.
Sibal, an eminent senior lawyer himself, made the
remarks while addressing the SCBA members after inaugurating a
library hall for the Bar.
Later in an informal talk with reporters, Sibal said
the issue relating to the Government`s final stance on the
controversial subject relating to gay sex (Section 377 IPC)
pending in the Supreme Court could not be discussed at today`s
Cabinet meeting as the Home Minister was not present.
Sibal`s call for reforms in legal education comes in
the backdrop of the BCI`s disapproval of a high-level
conference on legal education convened by the Ministry of
Human Resource Development by excluding its members.
The BCI has alleged that there was a "hidden agenda"
involved in it as the lawyers body had been opposing the entry
of foreign lawyers and law firms into India.
"We do not approve of this round table conference as
it does not include BCI. It has been done with an hidden
agenda as BCI has been opposing the entry of foreign lawyers
and firms," BCI Chairman S N P Sinha had said at a press
conference here last week.
The HRD Ministry had constituted a 12-member committee
to discuss reforms in legal education, comprising of legal
experts and lawyers but no member from the BCI was considered
in this regard, he had said.
The BCI was constituted under the statute with a
purpose to regulate legal education and no other body as
suggested by the Yashpal Committee or Knowledge Commission
can take over it, he had said.
The BCI chairman had said it does not recognise
the 12-member committee, which it feels is a precursor for
disbanding the BCI.
The BCI is of the view that if the government was
contemplating reforms in legal education, it should amed the
Advocate`s Act which lays down rules for legal education and
profession.
Bureau Report
